Hale students fight hunger with food drive
By Dermot Connolly
Students at Hale Elementary School in Clearing collected thousands of items in a food drive that became a community event when the United Business Association of Midway coordinated the delivery of the goods to local food pantries.
Seventh and eighth graders in the student leadership team organized the food drive for the school at 6140 S. Melvina, collecting more than 4,000 non-perishable food items donated by students of all ages—much more than they expected.
“We were talking about doing this for a while. Our goal was to get 500 items. So we are really happy to see what we got,” said eighth-grader Cori Hundt, as she and other members of the leadership team helped carry the donations from the school vestibule into vans for transport to local food pantries.
The leadership team was responsible for printing information about the food drive and giving updates about it during the regular morning announcement period.
“It was amazing to see how much all the classes were bringing in when we checked in with them each week,” Hundt said.
Just as school was about to let out on Feb. 27, the students on the leadership team carried the last of the donations to a rear hallway, already piled high with bags and boxes of food—everything from cereal to canned vegetables.
They were joined by sixth-grade teacher Rob Bendik and Samantha Kyme, the dean of students, who oversee the team. The hallway served as the staging area where the students and UBAM members helped carry the donations into waiting vehicles.
“It definitely was student-driven,” said Kyme, She noted that the leadership group started about five years ago, but the pandemic halted a lot of activities.
“Last year, the team collected socks for homeless shelters,” said Bendik. “When they decided to do a food drive, we turned into a competition among the various classrooms, with the winner getting a pizza party.”
The seventh and eighth graders who organized it didn’t mind that the winners turned out to be the kindergartners.
“This was a great achievement we did for people in need,” said seventh-grader Jack Guerrero, with the leadership team.
Kyme turned to UBAM to help distribute the food to local food pantries because the business organization coordinated the successful expansion of a community garden on the school grounds.
“We figured local food pantries would appreciate these donations more than just bringing them to the Greater Southwest Food Depository, which gets several trucks delivered daily,” said UBAM Board member John Marusarz.
He and JoAnn Williams, president of the Hearst Community Organization, then arranged for much of the donations to go to the food pantry of the Academy for Global Citizenship charter school, 4941 W. 46th St. ACP is also a member of UBAM.
“With the price of food these days, this is a blessing for a lot of people,” said Williams, as she and seventh-grader Mckayla Rogers held the doors open as the other volunteers carried bags and boxes of food into waiting vehicles
Francisco Perez, a Clearing resident and colleague of Marusarz, filled his work van with donations that he transported to ACP.
When his van was filled, Williams brought up her own SUV to take a second load to the charter school. “ACP also has deliveries of fresh produce at 2 p.m. every Tuesday, and these donations will be made available then too,” she said.
“They collected way more than we were expecting to pick up,” said Marusarz.
So much was collected that an additional load was delivered to the food pantry at New Life Community Church, 5101 S. Keeler.
“I had a lot of fun doing this,” said seventh-grader Brielle Peralta. “I love that we were able to do this to help people.”
Local News
City is anti-business, grocer’s son says
Spread the loveColumnist John Kass addresses UBAM members By Steve Metsch John Kass, whose father and relatives built a grocery business with hard work, knows about the pressures facing business owners in Chicago. The city is not doing enough to help small businesses, the former Chicago Tribune reporter and columnist recently told a gathering of…
Seven reasons this spring sports season could be special
Spread the loveBy Jeff Vorva Staff writer Things are a little quiet right now, but it’s the calm before the storm. Get ready for a monster sports spring in the area. The IHSA offers 13 spring sports and activities, including bass fishing. Area colleges will be busy, especially with baseball and softball. The Chicago Red…
Area Sports Roundup: Top pick Ava Cook scores Red Stars’ lone goal in winless trip to Portland
Spread the loveBy Jeff Vorva Staff writer Mixing a blend of veterans and newcomers, the Chicago Red Stars lost two games and tied one while scoring just one goal during a three-game preseason series in Portland. New coach Chris Petrucelli watched his team open with a 0-0 deadlock with the U23 U.S. Women’s National Team…
College Report: Rice grad Rothstein enjoying coaching at Fontbonne
Spread the loveBy Jeff Vorva Staff Writer After hitting the floor time after time after time as a libero at Brother Rice and Fontbonne University, Zach Rothstein’s body is glad he is now a graduate assistant with the latter. The Evergreen Park native admits there is a time or two where he wouldn’t mind diving…
Feds bust Madigan
Spread the loveNeighbors vent disgust with former political powerhouse By Tim Hadac (Editor’s note: this story is a companion piece to this Capitol News Illinois story: https://www.southwestregionalpublishing.com/capitol-news-post/the-madigan-enterprise-inside-the-federal-indictment-of-the-states-former-speaker/) Southwest Siders reacted largely with disgust, cynicism and even a bit of resignation to the news that former longtime political powerhouse Michael J. Madigan has been indicted by…
St. Patrick’s Day Parade coming
Spread the love Families decked out in green are expected to line Archer Avenue this Saturday, March 12 for Garfield Ridge’s annual St. Patrick’s Day Parade. The festive event, enjoyed by the Irish and the “Irish for a day,” is organized and hosted by the Clear-Ridge Men’s Social Athletic Club (SAC) and the International Union of…
The March forecast: warmer with a strong chance of fun
Spread the loveBy Joan Hadac Your correspondent in Clearing and Garfield Ridge (708) 496-0265 • joan.hadac@gmail.com Hi everyone. The day I wrote this column, it was an amazing 45 degrees outside. The sun was hot on my face as I drove in the car. Now it’s only the beginning of March, so I don’t expect the…
Moraine Valley looking for local residents to host international students
Spread the loveLearn about another culture while welcoming an international student into your home. Moraine Valley Community College’s International Student Affairs Department has immediate needs for local residents to help integrate students into the U.S. and provide a safe place for them to stay through its Host Home Program. Hundreds of international students from countries…
Neighbors
Stateville may close as early as September under Pritzker’s prison plan
By HANNAH MEISEL Capitol News Illinois hmeisel@capitolnewsillinois.com SPRINGFIELD – Stateville Correctional Center could close as early as September under a plan laid out by Gov. JB Pritzker’s administration on Friday. Top officials with the Illinois Department of Corrections testified in front of a key panel of state lawmakers. The 12 members on the General Assembly’s…
Labor-backed bill banning ‘captive audience’ meetings awaits House action
By ALEX ABBEDUTO Capitol News Illinois abbeduto@capitolnewsillinois.com SPRINGFIELD – With two weeks left before the General Assembly’s spring session is set to adjourn, negotiations continue on a labor union-backed initiative that would allow Illinoisans to skip religious and political work meetings without reprimand. Dubbed the “Worker Freedom of Speech Act,” Senate Bill 3649 advanced out…
House gives OK to new state agency focused on early childhood programs
By PETER HANCOCK Capitol News Illinois phancock@capitolnewsillinois.com SPRINGFIELD – The Illinois House gave final passage Thursday to a bill establishing a new cabinet-level state agency whose mission will be to provide a kind of one-stop shop for services focusing on early childhood development and education. By the time it’s fully operational in 2026, the new…
ANALYSIS: ‘Significant enough’ opposition to Pritzker’s revenue plan leads to call for cuts
By JERRY NOWICKI Capitol News Illinois jnowicki@capitolnewsillinois.com When Gov. JB Pritzker proposed his budget for the upcoming fiscal year in February, he sought authority from lawmakers to raise more than $1 billion in revenue through various changes to the state tax code. Among other things, he sought to raise $526 million through extending an expiring…
State officials offer last goodbye to former Thompson Center as renovations begin
By ANDREW ADAMS Capitol News Illinois aadams@capitolnewsillinois.com CHICAGO — State officials kicked off the private renovation of the building which once served as the state government’s Chicago headquarters. The James R. Thompson Center, as it was known under state ownership, was sold in 2022 to a development firm that is renovating the building for its…
Public officials seek greater oversight of prescription drug middlemen
By DILPREET RAJU Capitol News Illinois draju@capitolnewsillinois.com As state lawmakers hold hearings targeting the role of pharmacy benefit managers – an influential arm in how the health insurance industry prices prescription drugs – multiple state agencies are considering how to better regulate the industry. Often referred to as pharmaceutical “middlemen,” PBMs act as third-party intermediaries…
Thousands of youths at risk of losing access to after-school programs
By PETER HANCOCK Capitol News Illinois phancock@capitolnewsillinois.com SPRINGFIELD – Advocates for community-based after-school programs say as many as 40,000 youths statewide could lose access to tutoring services, recreation and other extracurricular activities this summer unless Illinois lawmakers approve an infusion of funds to keep them going. “The time is now for legislators to act to…
Lawsuit alleges sexual abuse was rampant in state-run juvenile detention centers
By HANNAH MEISEL Capitol News Illinois hmeisel@capitolnewsillinois.com Rampant sexual abuse occurred unchecked for decades at Illinois’ juvenile detention centers, a new lawsuit filed on behalf of 95 former detainees alleges, citing hundreds of incidents over more than two decades. The plaintiffs were boys between 12 and 17 years old when the alleged abuse occurred and…
House GOP advances 2 human trafficking victim protection bills as others remain in limbo
By COLE LONGCOR Capitol News Illinois clongcor@capitolnewsillinois.com After Illinois received another failing grade from a national advocacy group, state House Republicans have introduced legislation aimed at further protecting victims and prosecuting perpetrators of human trafficking. Shared Hope International, an advocacy organization that works to prevent sex trafficking, said in its 2023 Illinois report card that…
Remembering Lee Milner
NEWS TEAM Capitol News Illinois news@capitolnewsillinois.com On Wednesday, April 17, the Springfield, Illinois Capitol and journalism communities lost a devoted friend and advocate when Lee Milner passed away. As Dean Olsen wrote in his piece in the Illinois Times earlier this month, “Readers of Illinois Times often have seen Milner’s work as a freelance photojournalist. But…